BOURNEMOUTH council is making an urgent appeal for foster carers after the number of children in care went up by 25 per cent in one year.

Council leader John Beesley told the Echo the annual care bill was now ‘approaching £10million’.

There are 255 children being looked after, compared with 205 during the same time last year.

The previous year there were only 180 in that situation.

The number of children waiting to be permanently adopted has hit 41 – a four-fold rise in three years.

The Baby P scandal has led to part of the increase. Cllr Beesley said: “There’s clearly a more cautious approach than there was several years ago.”

The council said other factors were a rising birth rate, an increase in families affected by drink and drug abuse, and a ruling that means 16 and 17-year-olds made homeless by their parents now come into council care.

There has also been a rise in families with child care problems moving to Bournemouth.

A council audit of 15 families found that 12 of the families had moved to the town within the last two years.

Kim Drake, children’s social care director, stressed: “The increase in Bournemouth is reflective of a rising national trend.”

Around three fifths of the Bournemouth cases involve neglect and the rest were victims of emotional abuse.

The care team records incidents of substance abuse in the children’s families.

Around 60 per cent involve alcohol and the rest involve drugs.

Cllr Beesley said: “A lot of what we are doing now is making sure we are investing in ways of prevention so that we don’t get so many cases coming forward.”

Bournemouth council’s adoption service has been judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Cllr Nicola Greene, deputy leader and head of children’s services, said: “We need more people to come forward and provide children with the chance to grow up in stable, loving, adoptive homes.”

You can get more information on adoption by phoning 01202 456743 or going online and emailing adoption@bournemouth.gov.uk . Further details on fostering children are available by phoning 01202 456789 or by emailing foster ing@bournemouth.gov.uk

You can also visit www.bournemouth.gov.uk/adoption